the Business Forum and
the Economic Partnership
in Brighton & Hove
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Brighton & Hove Business Forum
8-11 Pavilion Buildings, Brighton, BN1 1EE
Tel: 01273 735442
Email: info@brighton
business.co.uk

© Brighton & Hove
Business Forum

Welcome
This is the official web site of the Business Forum and the Economic Partnership in Brighton & Hove

The Business Forum is the city centre management initiative for Brighton & Hove but its projects extend outside the strict geographical boundaries of the city centre and include Hove town centre management. It is supported by seven core business funders and the local authority.

Projects range from the Business Crime Reduction Partnership (BCRP) with nearly 400 members operating in both the day-time and night-time economy to the organisation of speciality markets across the city. The Business Forum also established the first Business Improvement District (BID) in Brighton & Hove (and only the second in the south-east) and provides project management and administration to the BID. The BID will generate over £1m to provide additional services to businesses in the BID area.

The Economic Partnership (BHEP) is funded by the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) and works with other stakeholders to devise the economic strategy for the city. It works with other Economic Partnerships across the south-east to input into the economic strategy for the region.

Details of key project areas for the BHBF and BHEP are shown on the left hand side of the Homepage and latest news is shown on the right hand side. All documents and stories are archived in the Knowledgebase which can be searched by subject or keyword.

The site also lists contact details of the partners (other business associations) that we work with and has a number of links to other useful sites.

Latest news
4 July 2009 - News
"Government still not easing the burden of regulation" - FPB
The Forum of Private Business (FPB) is urging the Government to step up its efforts to reduce the burden of regulation on small businesses, following new research showing that red tape costs the UK's smaller business employers almost £12 billion per year. Read more...
4 July 2009 - News
Starbucks wins in Brighton but not in Edinburgh
A government planning inspector has allowed Starbucks to open a branch in a Brighton street despite opposition from councillors and a protest campaign by residents. Read more...
4 July 2009 - News
Over 3 million more Brits to holiday in the UK
Millions of people intend to have a UK 'staycation' rather than a vacation this year. There has also been a rise in the number of people who don't intend to take a holiday at all. Read more...
1 July 2009 - News
The agony & the irony. Recession figures worse than previously thought but it might be technically over.
The Office for National Statistics has reported that its initial estimate of 1.9% fall in GDP in the first quarter of 2009, has been revised to a decline of 2.4% - the biggest fall for over 50 years. Read more...
1 July 2009 - News
Economic Partnership assists Justice Secretary's visit for Soapbox Debate
With the assistance of the Brighton & Hove Economic Partnership, Justice Secretary Jack Straw is scheduled to visit Brighton and Hove on Thursday 2 July to talk to local people about the government's new policy plan 'Building Britain's Future'. Read more...
30 June 2009 - News
Queen's Road to get 30,000 sq ft of Grade A office space
Queensbury House in Queen's Rd, just one minute from the railway station, is undergoing complete refurbishment and extension before being placed on the market to provide much needed office accommodation in the city centre. Read more...
30 June 2009 - News
Free Sustainable Business Programme
PLATO: Sustain (a two-year business and personal development programme targeted at senior managers in small and medium-sized companies) has been described as 'an MBA without the books'. Its host companies include Rolls Royce, IBM, SONY and Ordnance Survey. Now it is available to businesses in Brighton & Hove. Read more...
30 June 2009 - News
Amex Planning application submitted
American Express has submitted an application to develop the site adjacent and to the north of their existing European headquarters in Edward Street (The Wedding Cake). Read more...
29 June 2009 - News
Consultation on Local Development Framework amendments
The City Council is consulting on changes to the Core Strategy prior to submission to the government for formal adoption. This is an opportunity for all those concerned about future developments in Brighton & Hove to make their views known. Read more...
29 June 2009 - News
Gala Bingo site appeal starts
The appeal starts this week looking into the planning application to redevelop the derelict Gala bingo hall in Portland Road, which was rejected by the City Council in 2008. Read more...
28 June 2009 - News
Three scenarios for the recovery
The charitable trust Cambridge Econometrics has looked at three recovery scenarios for the UK and (since we are all part of a globalised economy) the world. Read more...
28 June 2009 - News
Brighton & Hove's FE Colleges abandoned by LSC
Despite being told by the Learning & Skills Council (LSC) to spend millions of pounds drawing up planning applications, the city's colleges of further education have been told that they will not receive a penny of funding for the rebuilding of their facilities. Read more...
28 June 2009 - News
Hundreds sign up for free counter terrorism training in Brighton.
Sussex Police have received a good response to their invitation to local businesses and their staff to attend a free training session to help them to identify and deal with suspicious behaviour. Aimed at counter-terrorism business people have also recognised that spotting the signs of suspicious behaviour could be helpful in a variety of situations e.g. retail staff on the shop-floor looking out for shop lifters. Read more...
26 June 2009 - News
Wind Farms off the coast of Brighton.
A government assessment of the best sites for wind farms has confirmed that the stretch of coast between Newhaven and Brighton is an ideal site for 80 - 100 giant turbines ten miles off the coast. Read more...
26 June 2009 - News
Tough times ahead for Councils?
According to a survey by KPMG, over half of UK councils are planning major staff cuts over the next 18 months. And almost half of them are planning major cuts in services. Read more...
26 June 2009 - News
Labour Party coming to Brighton
The Labour Party Conference is being held in Brighton this year at the end of September. While hosting this event is fantastic publicity for the city it does come with caveats - the key ones being a threat to pyblic safety and the disruption to daily life that the security surrounding the event inevitably brings. Read more...
26 June 2009 - News
Negative Equity and unemployment - a lethal combination
The global financial crisis was centred around sub-prime borrowing (banks lending to people who couldn't seriously afford to repay the loans) but the focus of a new report is on prime borrowers and the more serious effects of negative equity on people who thought they were in the low risk category. Read more...
26 June 2009 - News
Youth unemployment problem
A study from the think-tank Centre for Cities has reported that long-term unemployment in 16 to 24 year olds will almost treble over the next two years. Read more...
26 June 2009 - News
State of the City address
The Chamber's annual State of the City address at the Sallis Benny Theatre on Tuesday evening outlined the toll that the recession had taken on the Brighton & Hove economy and highlighted the need to prepare for the upturn. Read more...
25 June 2009 - News
HBA scores at the cricket
Hove Business Association members enjoyed an exciting afternoon of cricket and were joined by over 40 guests at the game against Somerset on the 18th June. Read more...
23 June 2009 - News
Latest weekly footfall figures for Brighton city centre
Footfall figures from w/c 15 June 2009, available to download here for free, show the count up 6.1% from last week to a total of 280,895. This U-turn in the recent weeks of negative growth also marks a healthy 2% increase on 2008 figures for the same week. Read more...
22 June 2009 - News
City College Seeks Governors
Local people are being offered the opportunity to join the Corporation (Governing Body) of City College - Brighton and Hove's city centre based further education college. Read more...
22 June 2009 - News
Brighter, safer and eco-friendly lighting for seafront
Madeira Drive is now a much nicer place to be at night, thanks to new environmentally-friendly lighting. Read more...
22 June 2009 - News
Hove Vacancy Rate drop for Q2 2009
From the period April to June 2009, Hove shop voids, or 'Vacancy Rates' have dropped from 7.2% to 5.9%, dispelling fears that retail in the west of the city was becoming another casualty for the economic downturn. Read more...
20 June 2009 - News
What's bothering Sussex Businesses?
Sussex Enterprise has recently conducted an extensive survey of local businesses to find out what the key issues of the day are. It appears that transport infrastructure is top of the list along with skills shortages and a lack of suitable premises. Read more...
20 June 2009 - News
Record budget deficit in May
The Chancellor's Budget prediction of £175bn of borrowing could be even greater if last month's £20bn budget deficit is indicative of things to come. Read more...
20 June 2009 - News
BID success in Dunfermline
The ballot to establish a BID in Dunfermline has been successful. The results showed 72.9% in favour by number of businesses and 61.6% in favour by rateable value, with a turnout of 47%. Read more...
19 June 2009 - News
Business Crime Reduction Partnership (BCRP) to attend the national launch of trailblazing work to manage Brighton & Hove's night time economy
Trailblazing work in Brighton & Hove to keep the city safe and welcoming at night will be highlighted at a national conference on Monday June 22 and Tuesday 23 June and the Business Forum's Nightsafe Manager - Nigel Liddell - will be attending to represent the BCRP. Read more...
19 June 2009 - News
Search is on for the Best Blooming Business in the City
City in Bloom and VisitBrighton are urging local businesses to enter for the City in Bloom awards - and with just under two weeks before the closing date, it is now time to make your nominations! Read more...
19 June 2009 - News
Minutes of the North Laine Traders Association Street Reps Meeting
The North Laine Traders Association held their Street Reps meeting at 6pm on Tuesday 9 June 2009 at the Off Beat Coffee Bar in Sydney Street. Read more...
 


Browse our business Knowledgebase or search by keyword


Headlines

4 July 2009
"Government still not easing the burden of regulation" - FPB
4 July 2009
Starbucks wins in Brighton but not in Edinburgh 4 July 2009
Over 3 million more Brits to holiday in the UK 1 July 2009
The agony & the irony. Recession figures worse than previously thought but it might be technically over. 1 July 2009
Economic Partnership assists Justice Secretary's visit for Soapbox Debate 30 June 2009
Queen's Road to get 30,000 sq ft of Grade A office space 30 June 2009
Free Sustainable Business Programme 30 June 2009
Amex Planning application submitted 29 June 2009
Consultation on Local Development Framework amendments 29 June 2009
Gala Bingo site appeal starts 28 June 2009
Three scenarios for the recovery 28 June 2009
Brighton & Hove's FE Colleges abandoned by LSC 28 June 2009
Hundreds sign up for free counter terrorism training in Brighton. 26 June 2009
Wind Farms off the coast of Brighton. 26 June 2009
Tough times ahead for Councils? 26 June 2009
Labour Party coming to Brighton 26 June 2009
Negative Equity and unemployment - a lethal combination 26 June 2009
Youth unemployment problem 26 June 2009
State of the City address 25 June 2009
HBA scores at the cricket 23 June 2009
Latest weekly footfall figures for Brighton city centre 22 June 2009
City College Seeks Governors 22 June 2009
Brighter, safer and eco-friendly lighting for seafront 22 June 2009
Hove Vacancy Rate drop for Q2 2009 20 June 2009
What's bothering Sussex Businesses? 20 June 2009
Record budget deficit in May 20 June 2009
BID success in Dunfermline 19 June 2009
Business Crime Reduction Partnership (BCRP) to attend the national launch of trailblazing work to manage Brighton & Hove's night time economy 19 June 2009
Search is on for the Best Blooming Business in the City 19 June 2009
Minutes of the North Laine Traders Association Street Reps Meeting 19 June 2009
Increase in theft of personal belongings in the West Street and North Laine area 19 June 2009
Launch of the 6th Brighton and Hove Business Awards (BAHBAs) 19 June 2009
City College forms partnership with Sussex Cricket 19 June 2009
Business Rate Supplements (BRS) will not be subject to a vote 19 June 2009
Retail down in May 19 June 2009
Business Crime Reduction Partnership (BCRP) bans prolific offender. 19 June 2009
"Don't Get Burnt Conference" Confirms more Recession Support to local Communities Needed 18 June 2009
Royal Alex appeal decision 18 June 2009
Business Forum Chair wins national award 18 June 2009
HBA June e-newsletter out now